TR2
with
grille
pushed
inside
of hood
next to
radiator.
In 1952
the Type
20TS
(often
referred
to as
the TR1)
was
introduced
at
Earl's
Court
Motor
Show.
Built on
a prewar
Standard
chassis
and
sporting
a dual-carb
version
of the
Standard
Vanguard
engine.

The car
(TR2)eventually
gained
its own
purpose-built
chassis
frame,
which
incorporated
front
suspension
originally
developed
for the
Mayflower.
The
Vanguard
engine
(2088cc)
was
further
developed
into a
reliable
90hp,
under
2-liter
engine.
The rear
of the
body
provided
a trunk
and an
enclosed
space
for the
spare.

A
prototype
TR2 was
run on a
closed
stretch
Jabbeke
highway
by Ken
Richardson
in
spring
1953,
achieving
close to
125mph
in
"speed"
trim and
around
105mph
in
"street"
trim.

Total
TR2-3B
production
was
something
under
80,000
cars.
Also,
several
other
cars
shared
basic
TR2-3
running
gear,
such as
the
Swallow
Doretti,
Peerless,
Warwick,
and the
(Vignale)
Italia.
TR
engines
also
powered
versions
of the
Morgan
sports
car.

TR3:
In the
autumn
of 1955
the TR2
was
superseded
by the
similar
looking
TR3. The
immediate
point of
identification
was the
egg-crate
grille
that now
adorned
the
front
nose of
the car.
The
Triumph
TR3 was
a car
built
between
1955 and
1957 by
the
Standard
Motor
Company
in the
United
Kingdom,
during
which
time
13,377
cars
were
produced,
of which
1286
were
sold
within
the UK
while
the rest
were
exported
mainly
to the
USA.

TR3
with
small
mouth
grille
pushed
to the
front of
the nose

.TR3A
1959
with
wide
grinning
grille

The
obvious
differences
between
the TR2
and TR3A
included
door
handles
and boot
handles
placed
on the
outside
of the
car for
the
TR3A,
the
grille
expanded
and was
placed
on the
outside
of the
car.
The rear
of the
TR3
changed
with
added
warning
lights.
The TR2
at first
had long
passenger
doors
which
scraped
on the
curb
when the
door
opened.
The
doors
were
shortened.
A
cooling
air cowl
was
added in
front of
the wind
shield
for
passenger
comfort.
The
overdrive
switch
changed
from a
knob on
the dash
to a
switch
that
could be
engaged
and
disengaged
with the
driverís
little
finger
without
letting
go of
the
steering
wheel.
The
carburetors
increased
from
SU4s to
SU6s.
The rear
end
became
more
robust.
In 1956
the
front
brakes
changed
from
drum to
disc
becoming
the
first
British
series
production
car to
be
fitted
disc
brakes.
The
car was
powered
by a
1991cc
straight-4
OHV
engine
which
initially
produced
95 bhp
increasing
to 100
bhp at
5000
rpm. The
four
speed
manual
transmission
could be
supplemented
by an
overdrive
unit on
the top
three
ratios.

TR3A
:
Officially
there
was
never a
TR3A
model
although
it is
known
throughout
the
sports
car
world by
this
designation.
Mechanically
it was
identical
to the
TR3, but
it had a
new
wider
grille
that
extended
below
the
headlamps
and
incorporated
the side
lights.
Other
identifying
features
were
external
door
handles,
a
feature
that was
decried
by dyed
in the
wool
enthusiasts
at the
time. A
larger
2.2
liter
engine
was
offered
as an
optional
extra,
but
there
seem to
have
been few
takers
for this
option.
From
1957 the
optional
extra
hardtop
was made
in
steel.
TR2/3/3A
models
were
upholstered
in
vynide
cloth
and the
fascia
panel
was
covered
in a
matching
material
(TR2/TR3),
TR3A on
was
painted
black.
Two
large
round
instruments
directly
in front
of the
driver
housed
the
speedometer
and
tachometer.
A panel
in the
center
of the
fascia
accommodated
the
switches,
warning
lights
and four
smaller
gauges
for fuel
level,
engine
temperature,
oil
pressure
and
ammeter.
A large
glove
box and
a grab
handle
were
provided
in front
of the
passenger.

Production
of the
TR3
largely
ended by
1961. A
small
number
(approximately
3,331)
of TR3Bs
were
built
for the
North
American
market
in 1962,
largely
to TR3A
specification,
although
most of
these
had the
larger
2138cc
engine
with
all-synchro
transmission.
This
transmission
was
added to
the new
TR4
Triumph.

One of
the
things
to look
for when
gauging
the
quality
of a
restored
TR2 or 3
is the
quality
of the
fit
between
the
front
cowl and
the
front
wings.
This
seam
should
be
straight
and the
stainless
beading
should
fit in
the seam
nice and
closely.
No gaps
should
be
apparent.
This is
a
non-trivial
matter
on a TR
since
these
panels
are
nearly
always
bashed,
split
and/or
stretched.
High
quality
work
here is
a good
indication
of the
quality
of the
rest of
the
restoration

TR3B
1963
Although
the car
was
usually
supplied
as an
open air
two-seater,
an
occasional
rear
seat and
bolt on
steel
hard top
were
available
as
extras.